Blizzard
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2004
- Posts
- 43
- Likes
- 11
I have a nice setup at home Arcam A32/CD33 and HD650. The sound is fantastic.
But I like to listen to music at work too. I bought an used pair of Philips SBC-HP1000 phones. Sounded very good at home, doesn't lose much to HD650. But at work, driven directly from a motherboard integrated output, the sound is pure crap! And as I'm used to HiFi sound, it's very frustrating.
What would be the easiest way to improve the sound? Should I convince my employer to buy me a decent soundcard. Would that help, or would i still need a dedicated headphone amp? And if I would only buy an amp, will it help, or is the computer as a source still messing everything up? How well would a portable player handle this?
The Philips phones are quite sensitive and low impedance (32ohm I think)
So I have like 5 different options:
1. Buy a soundcard, use it as both amp and source.
2. Buy a soundcard and an amp.
3. Buy just an amp and use motherboard integrated audio circuit as source.
4. Buy an portable mp3 player and use it as both amp&source.
5. Buy an portable mp3 player for source and a dedicated amp.
Could someone comment every option how good it would be? What would be the most cost efficient way to improve the sound. The portable player would be a nice option in that way that I could take it along on trips also. I have a pair of Sennheiser PCX-200 phones, I really don't use much. But will the portable player drive my Philips phones well enough, or would i still need an amp, either portable or not.
But I like to listen to music at work too. I bought an used pair of Philips SBC-HP1000 phones. Sounded very good at home, doesn't lose much to HD650. But at work, driven directly from a motherboard integrated output, the sound is pure crap! And as I'm used to HiFi sound, it's very frustrating.
What would be the easiest way to improve the sound? Should I convince my employer to buy me a decent soundcard. Would that help, or would i still need a dedicated headphone amp? And if I would only buy an amp, will it help, or is the computer as a source still messing everything up? How well would a portable player handle this?
The Philips phones are quite sensitive and low impedance (32ohm I think)
So I have like 5 different options:
1. Buy a soundcard, use it as both amp and source.
2. Buy a soundcard and an amp.
3. Buy just an amp and use motherboard integrated audio circuit as source.
4. Buy an portable mp3 player and use it as both amp&source.
5. Buy an portable mp3 player for source and a dedicated amp.
Could someone comment every option how good it would be? What would be the most cost efficient way to improve the sound. The portable player would be a nice option in that way that I could take it along on trips also. I have a pair of Sennheiser PCX-200 phones, I really don't use much. But will the portable player drive my Philips phones well enough, or would i still need an amp, either portable or not.